Photographic processing apparatus



May 1967 H. E. ERIKSON A 3,318,221

PHOTOGRAPHIC PROCESS ING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 29, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR BY /W ML M ATTORNEY5 May 9, 1967 H. E. ERIKSON PHOTOGRAPHIC PROCESSING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 29, 1965 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,318,221 PHOTOGRAPHIC PROCESSING APPARATUS Herman E. Erikson, Winchester, Mass., assignor to Polaroid Corporation, Cambridge, Mass., a corporation of Delaware Filed Jan. 29, 1965, Ser. No. 429,080 14 Claims. (CI. 95-89) The present invention relates to photographic apparatus, and more specifically to processing apparatus of the type having a pair of rotatable, pressure-applying members between which photographic sheet materials are drawn for the purpose of spreading a fluid-processing composition therebetween.

A common type of processing apparatus for so-called self-developing film units comprises a pair of elongated pressure rolls which are urged toward engagement with one another while two superposed sheets of the film unit are advanced between the rolls. The sheets included by the film unit may be supplied as two separate rolls which are unwound as the sheets are brought into superposition; in fiat, stacked relation within a magazine or the like holding a plurality of such units; or as a single, two-sheet film unit. In any case, it has been found convenient to supply the liquid processing agent in frangible containers which are incorporated in the film unit and positioned between the sheets as the latter pass between the pressure rolls. The container is ruptured by the compressive force of the pressure rolls during advancement of the film assembly, the fluid contents being released from the container and spread in a uniformly thin layer between the sheets to effect photographic processing thereof.

The pressure rolls may be constructed of a variety of materials, and it has been found that rigid metal rolls, for example, are desirable in some forms of this general type of processing apparatus while rolls constructed of a resilient material such as rubber are desirable in other forms, usually depending on the tvpe or format of film to be processed by the apparatus. The processing apparatus shown in U.S. Patent No.. 2,638,828 of A. J. Bachelder et al., issued May 19, 1953, and assigned to applicants assignee, is used primarily for processing relatively large self-developing film units commonly employed in making radiographs and the like. The film unit is positioned within an appropriate cassette for example, and is fed directly from the cassette through the pressure rolls of the processing apparatus. In this particular type of processing apparatus, for example, it has been found that pressure rolls constructed of a resilient material are preferable to rigid rolls for a number of reasons.

In order for the pressure rolls to serve the intended functions outlined above, it is necessary to provide means for urging the rolls toward engagement with one another. Such means usually are in the form of an appropriate spring bias. However, when rolls constructed of rubber, or other such resilient materials, are spring biased into engagement while stationary, the materials have a tendency to set at the portions in contact. That is, the force by which the rolls are urged together tends to compress the resilient material, thus decreasing the radius of the rolls at the point of contact between the two. In other words, there will be a flat spot on each of the rolls where it is urged into engagement with the other roll. These flat spots tend to remain for a time even after the rolls are rotated, thus moving the initial fiat spot areas out of contact with one another.

If the two rolls are of the same diameter, the same portions thereof will come into mutual contact with each complete revolution of the rolls. The flat spots will thus be opposite one another each time the rolls turn as the film unit is advanced therebetween. The reduced radii at these points on the rolls will obviously result in an undiagrammatic,

3,318,221 Patented May 9, 1967 even thickness of the layer of processing liquid which is spread by the rolls between the sheets of the film unit. Since the photographic processing operation whichtakes place upon spreading the liquid between the sheets is quite sensitive to differences in the thickness of the liquid layer, there will be obvious defects in the processed photographic product resulting from the uneven spread thickness of the liquid. The fiat spots will gradually disappear, of course, as the resilient material tends to return to its original shape, whereby the most pronounced defects will be found near the beginning of the spread.

It is a principal object of the present invention to provide means for maintaining a pair of rotatable, pressureapplying rolls in spaced relation until rotary motion is imparted to at least one of the rolls and then bringing the rolls into engagement with one another.

A further object of the invention is to provide, in photographic processing apparatus of the type having a pair of rotatable rolls made of a resilient, deformable material and which are urged toward engagement with one another to apply a compressive force to a film assembly being advanced therethrough, means for so controlling rotary and translational movement of said rolls that the latter are restrained against mutual engagement until at least one of the rolls is rotating.

Another object is to provide photographic processing apparatus of the general character alluded to above, wherein improved means are provided to insure uniformity of thickness of a liquid layer spread between a pair of sheets of a film assembly by advancing the latter between two resilient rolls of the apparatus.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the apparatus possessing the construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts which are exemplified in the following detailed disclosure, and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the claims.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is an exploded, perspective view of apparatus embodying a preferred embodiment of the invention with certain portions broken away for clarity of illustration; and

FIGS. 2-6 are a series of partly representational, partly side elevational views illustrating in sequence the manner of operation of the invention.

In US. Patent No. 2,638,828 is shown processing apparatus for use in processing a self-developing type of photographic film assembly. The apparatus includes a light tight chamber within which the film assembly is placed prior to processing and a pair of pressure-applying members between Which the assembly is advanced to effect spreading of a processing fluid between two liquid confining layers or sheets. After spreading of the processing liquid the assembly is stored in a second portion of the lighttight chamber for a predetermined processing period, at which time it is removed from the apparatus and the developed print and/or negative is removed from the remainder of the assembly.

Apparatus of this type has been found especially use ful in processing film assemblies used in making radiographi-c exposures, but is not limited to employment with such. Since most radiographic film, whether of the selfdeveloping type or not, is held within a lighttight cassette during exposure, it is quite convenient to place the cassette within the aforementioned processing apparatus and advance the film assembly directly from the cassette through the pressure-applying members. It is to be understood, in connection with the following description, that '2 a) certain constructional details of the illustrated embodiment of the invention may be influenced by the fact that the film unit to be processed may be extracted from a cassette during the processing operation. It is also pointed out that the above-mentioned U.S. Patent No. 2,638,828 includes a detailed description of a basic form of processing apparatus of a type wherein the present invention may be incorporated.

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to FIIGURE 1, there is shown the basic constructional elements of a form of photographic processing apparatus adapted to effect processing of a photographic film unit in a manner which will be later described in more detail. The apparatus includes a rigid frame having two sides in the nature of spaced, parallel wall members. The frame may conveniently be of unitary construction, or the wall members may be constructed separately and rigidly attached to other fixed elements of the apparatus. The wall members, denoted generally by the reference numerals and 12, are of like construction and each includes a forwardly extending portion, numbered 14 and 16 respectively, and rear wall portions 18 and 20 which may be seen to extend to a higher vertical plane than forwardly extending portions 14 and 16. Lower pressure roll 22 includes an axle or spindle means 24 extending fixedly from each end thereof and mounted for rotation in appropriate bearing means 26 and 28 which are provided on forwardly extending portions 14 and 16, respectively, of the rigid frame. Spindle 24 is connected to output shaft 30 of conventional electric motor 32, whereby operation of the motor produces rotation of lower roll 22. An appropriate gear train 33 may be provided between spindle 24 and output shaft 30 to provide a desired speed of rotation and torque for lower roll 22 in response to operation of motor 32.

Upper pressure roll 34 includes second spindle means 36 extending from each end thereof and journaled for rotation in bearing means 38 and 40 provided on end portions of a first set of arms 42 and 44, respectively. Arm 42 is pivotally mounted upon rear wall portion 18 by means of shaft 46 which extends through opening 48 in arm 42 and opening 50 in wall portion 18 and is secured by nut 52. Arm 44 is pivotally mounted in like manner upon rear wall portion 20 by means of shaft 54, which extends through opening in rear wall portion 20 and is secured by nut 56. A second set of arms, numbered 58 and 60, are also provided on each side of the apparatus, and include openings 62 and 64, respectively, through which shafts 46 and 54 pass to mount the second set of arms for pivotal movement with respect to the frame about the same axis as the first set of arms. Second arms 58 and include, at the ends thereof opposite the pivotal mounting, downwardly extending portions 66 and 68 which carry, at the lower ends thereof, inwardly extending cars 70 and 72. Openings 74 and 76 extend through ears 70 and 72, respectively, and serve as a means for mounting lift bar 78. fixedly between second arms 58 and 60.

Rotatable shaft 80 extends across the apparatus in parallel relation to lift bar 78. One end 82 of shaft 80 extends rotatably through an opening provided for that purpose in a portion of wall member 10. The other end 84 of shaft 80 is keyed or otherwise afiixed to lever 86, with an intermediate portion of shaft 80 passing through an appropriate opening or bearing means in wall portion 12 of the rigid frame. Extending fixedly from portions of shaft 80 intermediate of wall members 10 and 12 are fingers 88 and 90, having extremities 92 and 94, respectively, which extend to predetermined portions under lift bar 78. It may thus be seen that depression of manually engageable portion 96 of lever 86 will rotate shaft 80, which will result in lifting of extremities 92 and 94 of fingers 88 and 90, respectively. This movement of fingers 88 and will raise lift bar 78, which in turn will rotate second arms 58 and 60 in a clockwise direction, as seen in FIGURE 1, about their respective pivotal mountings upon shafts 46 and 54. Sufficient clearance is allowed between lift bar 78 and the lower edges of wall members 10 and 12 to allow raising and lowering of bar '78.

Springs 98 and 100 are attached at one end by conventional means to first arms 42 and 44, respectively, and extend downwardly therefrom to engage upper, horizontally disposed surfaces 102 and 104 of inwardly extending ears 70 and 72. Thus, the first set of arms 42, 44 are biased by springs 98 and 100 away from the second set of arms 58, 60 at the ends thereof remote from the pivotal mountings of the arms. Movement of arm 42 away from arm 58 is limited by ear 106 extending from arm 42 under arm 58; a similar ear (not shown) extends from arm 44 under arm 60.

Also keyed to shaft 80 (in addition to lever 86) is hook 108 having end portion 110 which is adapted to be engaged by latch 112. The latter is pivotally mounted upon fixed bracket 114 by means of pin 116, and biased for rotation toward lever 86 by spring 118. As portion 96 of lever 86 is depressed, shaft 80 is rotated, causing like rotation of hook 108 with end portion 110 thereof moving upward. The end portion engages protruding portion of latch 112, causing the latter to rotate against the bias of spring 118, as end portion 110 continues to move upward in contact with portion 120. When hook 108 has been rotated sufficiently, end portion 110 will override protruding portion 120, spring 118 will cause counter-rotation of latch 112 and hook 108 will be engaged thereby.

Depression of lever 86, in addition to the abovedescribed operation of the hook and latch elements, also causes rotation of second arms 58 and 60 in a clockwise direction, as previously mentioned. In other words, inwardly extending portions 70 and 72 are mounted in a generally upward direction; this movement is transferred, through springs 98 and 100, to first arms 42 and 44, which are thus also rotated in a clockwise direction about their mountings on shafts 46 and 54, thereby moving upper roll 34 towards engagement with lower roll 22. However, means are provided, in the form of rigid elements 122 and 124, for preventing contact of the two rolls at this point in the operation.

Turning now to a consideration of FIGS. 2-6, certain elements of the apparatus of FIGURE 1 are shown diagrammatically to illustrate more clearly and simply the operation of the present invention. Like reference numerals are used in FIGS. 2-6 to denote the diagrammatic counterparts of elements shown in more detail in FIG URE 1. Lever 81 is shown as pivotally mounted on shaft 80 and bearing directly on second arm 58, rather than acting through the fingers and lift bar arrangement of FIGURE 1. The elements are shown in the free state in FIG. 2 with arms 42 and 58 biased apart by spring 98 thus maintaining rollers 22 and 34 in spaced relation with one another. Depression of lever 81, as indicated by the arrow in FIG. 3, lifts the end of arm 58 remote from the pivotal mounting. This movement is transmitted through spring 98 to the end of first arm 42, thereby moving roller 34 toward roller 22 Element 122 is mounted for free rotation upon second spindle 36, which passes loosely through opening 126 (FIGURE 1) in the element. As upper roll 34 is moved downwardly, lower edge 128 of element 122 engages first spindle 24 before roll 34 contacts roll 22, as shown in FIG. 3. Continued depression of lever 81 continues to rotate arm 58, but arm 42 is prevented from further rotation due to the engagement of rigid element 122 between spindles 24 and 36. Therefore, spring 98 is compressed as arm 58 continues to rotate in a clockwise direction. When lever 81 has been depressed to the position of FIG. 4 it is retained by an appropriate latch, shown diagrammati-. why and indicated generally by the reference numeral 130. It may be seen in FIG. 4 that spring 98 has been greatly compressed, thus exerting a much stronger bias on arm 42, which has not moved from its position of FIG. 3 due to the engagement of element 122 with spindle 24.

When the elements have been placed in the position of FIG. 4 and retained by the latch mechanism, rotation is imparted to roll 22 and first spindle 24, in the direction indicated by the arrow in FIG. 5, as by starting motor 32 of FIGURE 1. Since-edge 128 of element 122 is maintained in tight engagement with first spindle 24 by the bias of .spring 98, and since element 122 is loosely rotatable on second spindle 36, rotation of the first spindle moves the element forwardly, as indicated in FIG. 5. Continued rotation of spindle 24 moves edge 128 completely out of engagement therewith and, since element 122 is no longer engaged between the spindles, upper roll 34 is free to move into engagement with lower roll 22 under the bias of .spring 98.

As shown in FIG. 6, arm 58 is in the same position as in FIGS. 4 and 5, being retained therein by lever 81 and latch 130. However, arm 42 has rotated further in a clockwise direction from its position of FIG. 5 by the distance by which the rolls were formerly separated. In the FIG. 6 position roll 34 is biased by spring 98 into engagement with roll 22, the rotation of the lower roll being imparted to the upper roll, as indicated by the arrows in FIG. 6. Rear edge 132 of element 122 rides lightly on first spindle 24 since the element is 'loosely mounted on second spindle 36. It is apparent that element 124 will operate in the same manner as element 122 at the opposite ends of rolls 22 and 34.

It will be noted that the rolls are somewhat flattened at their point of contact in FIG. 6 since they are formed, at least on the surfaces thereof, of a resilient material such as natural rubber. (The rolls may comprise, for example, rubber sheaths mounted on metal cores.) If the rolls were biased into engagement while stationary, the Hat spots would tend to remain for a time in the same portions of the rolls, even after rotation thereof, due to what is commonly termed the short term memory of resilient materials such as rubber. The disadvantage of this condition in photographic processing apparatus of this type has already been pointed out. However, due to the fact that roll 22 is already rotating when roll 34 is brought into engagement therewith, the undesirable effect is avoided through operation of the present invention.

In FIG. 6 is also shown, quite schematically, a film unit of the self-developing type to be processed by the abovedescribed apparatus. The film unit includes tab or leader element 134, to which are attached first and second superposed sheets 136 and 138 with rupturable container 140, carrying a liquid processing agent, positioned therebetween. Before rolls 22 and 34 are brought into contacting engagement with one another, tab- 134 is positioned therebetween. Thus, when the rolls are brought together with rotation imparted thereto as indicated in FIG. 6, tab 134 is engaged and the film unit is advanced progressively through the rolls by continued rotation thereof. The compressive force exerted by the rolls causes container 140 to rupture and release its liquid contents between sheets 136 and 138; as the film unit continues to advance between the rolls the liquid is spread in a uniformly thin layer between the sheets. The relative dimensions of the film unit and processing apparatus are such that the width of the sheets is slightly less than the length of the rolls, although the width of tab 134, of course, may be considerably less.

In accordance with common and Well-known commercial use of such film units and processing apparatus, the first and second sheets of the film unit are normally contained within an opaque envelope, since one of the sheets includes a photosensitive portion in which a latent image has been formed by photographic exposure in the usual manner and which must therefore be protected from actinic radiation until processing. The opaque envelope may further be contained within a cassette or the like, of the type commonly used in holding film of radiographic exposures. Means may easily be provided for accommodating a cassette within processing apparatus of the present type, as by providing a horizontally disposed plate or platform between wall members 10 and 12 in covering relation to shaft and lift bar 78. Thus, as the film unit is advanced through the rolls it is withdrawn from both the opaque envelope and the cassette.

Since the photosensitive portion of the film unit must be protected from actinic light, as pointed out above, until processing is completed, it is a common practice to provide a lighttight enclosure or chamber within which the processing apparatus may be enclosed and within which the film unit is discharged from the rolls. Such means are presently in wide commercial use and are fully described in aforementioned US. Patent No. 2,638,828. Thus, the sequence of operation, after exposure of the photosensitive portion of the film unit, is to place the cassette in the properposition within the apparatus, place the film unit tab between the rolls, bias the rolls toward engagement with one another, close the cover or other means provided to insure a lighttight enclosure for the apparatus and film unit, and close the switch supplying power to the roller drive mechanism. After the film unit has been completely advanced through the rolls, power to the drive motor is shut off either manually or automatically by a switch which may be actuated by movement of the film unit. At the end of a predetermined processing period the lighttight enclosure may be opened and the processed film unit withdrawn.

Before another film unit may be processed in like manner, of course, the elements must be returned from their position of FIG. 6 to that of FIG. 2. This is accomplished by releasing the latch mechanism holding the elements in the FIG. 6 position against the bias of springs 98 and 100. Returning to FIGURE 1, there is shown a release lever, numbered 142 and mounted for free rotation about end 84 of shaft 80. Release lever 142 includes manually engageable portion 144 on one side of its pivotal mounting and pin 146 extending laterally therefrom on the other side of the pivotal mounting to a position under arm 148 of latch 112. It may thus be seen that depression of manually engageable portion 144 of release lever 142 will cause latch 112 to move in a clockwise direction, as seen in FIGURE 1, about pin 116 and against the bias of spring 118. Portion 120 of the latch will thus be moved out of engagement with end portion 110 of hook 108, allowing rotation of shaft 80. Springs 98 and 100 may force the ends of first arms 42 and 44 away from the adjacent ends of second arms 58 and 60. The weight of arms 58 and 60 and lift bar 78 will cause the arms to rotate until the lift bar reaches its lower position. This, of course, causes rotation of fingers 88 and 90 and of shaft 80 which is no longer retained by the hook and latch. Springs 98 and 100 maintain the end of arms 42 and 44 as far from the ends of arms 58 and 60 as permitted by ear 106 on arm 42 and the corresponding car on arm 44. Since elements 122 and 124 are loosely rotatable on second spindle 36, they will be returned by their own Weight to the position in which element 122 is shown in FIG. 2. Of course, spring means could also be used to return elements 122 and 124 to such position if the apparatus is to be operated in other than the horizontal position. Downwardly extending portions and 152 are provided to ride loosely against first spindle 24 and thus stabilize the free position of elements 122 and 124 with respect thereto.

Since certain changes may be made in the above apparatus without departing from the scope of the invention herein involved, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for processing a photographic film assembly having a pair of liquid-confining sheets and adapted to be processed by a liquid spread in a uniformly thin layer between said sheets, said apparatus comprising, in combination:

(a) a pair of elongated, rotatably mounted, pressureapplying members;

(b) means for mounting said members for movement from a first position, wherein said members are spacai from one another, to a second position, wherein said members are in contacting engagement with their axes of rotation substantially parallel;

(c) means for biasing at least one of said members for movement relative to the other from said first toward said second position of said members;

(d) movable spacer means for maintaining said members in said first position against the force of said biasing means when said spacer means is in an operative position; and

(e) means for moving said spacer means to an inoperative position in response to rotation of at least one of said members, whereby said biasing means moves said members to said second position with at least one of said members rotating when the latter meet in said contacting engagement.

2. The invention according to claim 1 wherein said pressure-applying members are cylindrical and comprise a resilient material on the surfaces thereof which is deformed when said members are in said second position by the force of said biasing means urging said members into contacting engagement.

3. The invention according to claim 2 wherein a first of said pressure-applying members is mounted for rotation about a fixed axis and a second of said members is mounted for rotation about an axis which is laterally movable to move said members between said first and second positions.

4. The invention according to claim 3 wherein said movable spacer means comprises at least one element which is rotatably mounted coaxially with said second member, and is moved to said inoperative position in response to rotation of said first member.

5. Apparatus for processing a photographic film assembly having a pair of liquid-confining sheets and adapted to be processed by a liquid spread in a uniformly thin layer between said sheets, said apparatus comprising, in combination:

(a) first and second cylindrical pressure rolls;

(b) first spindle means upon which said first pressure roll is mounted for rotation about a fixed axis;

(c) second spindle means upon which said second pressure roll is rotatably mounted;

(d)support means for mounting said second spindle means for movement relative to said first. spindle means from a first position, wherein the surfaces of said rolls are spaced from one another, to a second position, wherein said surfaces are in contacting engagement with the axes of rotation of said said rolls substantially parallel;

(e) biasing means urging said support means toward movement from said first to said second position;

(f) a rigid element rotatably mounted upon said second spindle means adjacent one end of said second pressure roll and extending from said second spindle by a distance greater than the combined radii of said first and second pressure rolls, whereby said element may be so positioned as to engage said first spindle means and prevent movement of said support means to said second position; and

(g) means for selectively imparting rotation to said first spindle means, whereby said element is moved out of engagement therewith and said support means moves to said second position.

6. The invention according to claim 5 wherein said apparatus includes a second rigid element rotatably mounted upon said second spindle means adjacent the end of said second pressure roll opposite said one end and extending from said second spindle 'by substantially the same distance as the first rigid element, whereby said support means is retained in said first position, prior to rotation of said first spindle means, by engagement of both of said rigid elements with said first spindle means.

7. Apparatus for processing a photographic film assembly having a pair of liquid-confining sheets and adapted to be processed by a liquid spread in a uniformly thin layer between said sheets, said apparatus comprising, in combination:

(a) first and second cylndrical pressure rolls;

(-b) first spindle means upon which said first pressure roll is mounted for rotation about a fixed axis;

(0) second spindle means upon which said second pressure roll is rotatably mounted;

(d) support means for mounting said second spindle means for movement relative to said first spindle means from a first position, wherein the surfaces of said rolls are spaced from one another, to a second position, wherein said surfaces are in contacting engagement with the axes of rotation of said rolls substantially parallel;

(e) means for moving said support means from said first toward said second position;

(f) spacer means movable between an operative position, wherein said spacer means is engaged between said first and second spindle means to prevent movement thereof to said second position, and an inoperative position, wherein said spacer means is removed from engagement between said first and second spindle means to allow movement thereof to said second position;

(g) means for imparting rotation to at least one of said spindle means; and

(h) means for moving said spacer means to said inoperative position in response to said rotation.

8. The invention according to claim 7 wherein said means for moving said support means are manually operable.

9. The invention according to claim 8 wherein said spacer means includes at least one rigid element having a dimension exceeding the combined radii of said first and second rolls, the portion of said element comprising said dimension being engaged between said first and second spindles when said spacer means is in said operative position.

10. The invention according to claim 9 wherein said rigid element is rotatably mounted upon said first spindle means and is moved to said inoperative position in response to rotation of said first spindle means.

11. Apparatus for processing a photographic film assembly having a pair of liquid-confining sheets and adapted to be processed by a liquid spread in a uniformly thin layer between said sheets, said apparatus comprising, in combination:

(a) rigid support means;

(b) a first cylindrical pressure roll mounted for rotation about a first axis fixed with respect to said support means;

(c) a pair of arms pivotally mounted in parallel,

spaced relation upon said support means;

(d) a second cylindrical pressure roll mounted for rotation between said arms about a second axis substantially parallel to said first axis and so spaced from the pivot points of said arms that pi'votal movement there-of moves said second roll between spaced and engaging relation with said first roll;

(e) spring means associated with both of said arms on the side of the pivotal mounting thereof opposite the mounting of said second roll;

(f) means for moving said spring means from a rest position to a biasing position, wherein said spring means urge said second roll toward said engaging relation with said first roll;

9 (g) spacer means movable to an operative position, wherein at least a portion of said spacer means is positioned to prevent movement of said second roll into said engaging relation with said first roll; (h) means for imparting rotation to one of said rolls;

and (i) means 'for moving said spacer means to an inoperative position, thereby allowing movement of said second roll into said engaging relation with said first roll under the biasing force of said spring means, in response to said rotation of said one of said rolls. 12. The invention according to claim 11 wherein said apparatus further comprises means for moving said spacer means back to said operative position in response to movement of said rolls from said engaging to said spaced relation.

13. The invention according to claim 12 wherein said first and second rolls are mounted upon and rotatable 10 with first and second spindle means, respectively, and said portion of said spacer means comprises a rigid element having a dimension exceeding the combined radii of said first and second rolls, said portion being positioned for engagement between said first and second spindle means when said spacer means is in said operative position.

14. The invention according to claim 13 wherein said spacer means is rotatably mounted upon said second spindle means and is moved to said inoperative position in response to rotation of said first spindle means.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,638,828 5/ 1953 Bachelder et a1. 9589 NORTON ANSHER, Primary Examiner. F. L. BRAUN, Examiner. 

1. APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING A PHOTOGRAPHIC FILM ASSEMBLY HAVING A PAIR OF LIQUID-CONFINING SHEETS AND ADAPTED TO BE PROCESSED BY A LIQUID SPREAD IN A UNIFORMLY THIN LAYER BETWEEN SAID SHEETS, SAID APPARATUS COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION: (A) A PAIR OF ELONGATE, ROTATABLY MOUNTED, PRESSUREAPPLYING MEMBERS; (B) MEANS FOR MOUNTING SAID MEMBERS FOR MOVEMENT FROM A FIRST POSITION, WHEREIN SAID MEMBERS ARE SPACED FROM ONE ANOTHER, TO A SECOND POSITION, WHEREIN SAID MEMBERS ARE IN CONTACTING ENGAGEMENT WITH THEIR AXES OF ROTATION SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL; (C) MEANS FOR BIASING AT LEAST ONE OF SAID MEMBERS FOR MOVEMENT RELATIVE TO THE OTHER FROM SAID FIRST TOWARD SAID SECOND POSITION OF SAID MEMBERS; (D) MOVABLE SPACER MEANS FOR MAINTAINING SAID MEMBERS IN SAID FIRST POSTION AGAINST THE FORCE OF SAID BIASING MEANS WHEN SAID SPACER MEANS IS IN AN OPERATIVE POSITION; AND (E) MEANS FOR MOVING SAID SPACER MEANS TO AN INOPERATIVE POSITION IN RESPONSE TO ROTATION OF AT LEAST ONE OF SAID MEMBERS, WHEREBY SAID BIASING MEANS MOVES SAID MEMBERS TO SAID SECOND POSITION WITH AT LEAST ONE OF SAID MEMBERS ROTATING WHEN THE LATTER MEET IN SAID CONTACTING ENGAGEMENT. 